Any Fool Can Break a Rule
by darveysecretsanta2018
Summary: When Thomas invites Donna to spend the holidays with his family in Texas, Harvey realizes that he'll lose her for good if he doesn't step up and do something.


Well elves, this is our second to the last prompt! We hope you savor this lovely fic. Please let Santa know what you thought in a review.

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Requested by Jen(JenrawnsX)- _Donna is officially in a relationship with TCM. Harvey is torn up about it. Donna announces she's spending Christmas with TCM and his family out of town (location can be author's choice). Harvey realizes it's serious and it's now or never, he's going to lose her for good if he doesn't step up and do something. Maybe with Louis's involvement Harvey is spurred to a big romantic gesture the morning of the day she's due to go away with TCM. All of the angst and then all of the fluff then all of the smut._

Story by: Kate McK (u/2442498/Kate-McK)

* * *

" _Any fool can make a rule, and any fool will mind it." – Henry David Thoreau_

Harvey's hand freezes on the half-open door when he catches a flash of red inside the partner's kitchen. Torn between his need for coffee to help him stay semi-conscious during another one of Louis's endless meetings, and not coming face to face with the woman who's been occupying his almost every waking thought, he blows out a deep breath as he decides his next move.

He's been actively avoiding Donna since hearing from Alex, of all people, that she was dating one of the firm's clients. She was so smitten, it took her nearly a week to notice and confront him about it. He was pissed that she was behind the eight ball, being occupied with someone else, and told her she was imagining things. She pretended to believe him. And he didn't go after her when she left his office without pursuing the matter further. That was three months ago and he can't even recall the last time they had a decent conversation, let alone drinks, and he really misses flirting with her and her smiling at him. He just really misses her.

It hits him hardest late at night, when he's home alone, knocking back one scotch too many when the thought of another man touching her, probably at that exact moment, makes his body clench. In his drunken haze he imagines pushing her up against the nearest wall, kissing her senseless until she admits that she lied, that she does have feelings for him, but in harsh reality of morning, he'll settle for being her friend again, biding his time until Thomas is out of the picture, and they can go back to normal.

Only, he's not so sure what normal is anymore, and he's yet to pluck up enough courage to talk to her.

Resigning himself to fact that he's going to be suffering through the partner meeting uncaffeinated, Harvey starts to retreat into the hallway, but then Samantha asks a question that gives him pause.

"You're really going to trade your Jimmy Choo's for a pair of cowboy boots?"

Donna chuckles. "Just for a week. He wants me to meet his family."

"The man is getting serious. Are you ready for that?"

"I am."

Those two words causes his chest to constrict, his ribs squeezing all the air from his lungs. He inhales sharply, only for the oxygen to stab him from the inside out.

"So," Samantha says, oblivious to their eavesdropper, "just how big does the diamond need to be?"

The innuendo does him in and he barrels through the door without a second thought. "There's no way his is bigger than mine."

It's juvenile, but all sense of rationality left him the instant he realized that this could be it – the moment he loses Donna for good, and facing that fact is even worse than the fear he's been carrying around for years.

Donna just stares at him, mouth agape, while Samantha hides her amusement behind her mug. His first instinct is to apologize, but remembering how they teamed up against him the last time he tried, he opts for going straight for the coffee pot instead.

"Shall we get you boys together so you can whip 'em out and measure?" Samantha asks.

"No need. Donna has firsthand knowledge."

Oh goddamn fuck it, he thinks. He was in trouble before, but now he's flirting with disaster.

He doesn't need to look over his shoulder to know that Donna is staring daggers at him. He can feel the anger coming off her in waves.

"That's my cue," Samantha says. "I can't defend Donna at her murder trial if I'm the prosecution's star witness. Just make it quick, Red, you know how Louis gets when anyone's late to his meetings."

Harvey waits until he's sure they're alone before he dares to turn around. Donna's eyes narrow, and a tiny voice inside his head tells him he should be nervous, but he braves it, taking a step to close the distance. His hand reaches out of its own accord. The pads of his fingers barely brushed against her inner wrist when she yanks her arm back. It would sting less had she slapped him, like he undoubtedly deserves.

"Donna, I'm sorry. That was out of li–"

"Save it, Harvey."

She spins away from him and slams her mug down on the counter with so much force, he's surprised it doesn't shatter. He watches her leave, his mind scrambling for words to stop her, but then she does anyway. When she turns back to him, he almost wishes she hadn't. There are very few things in this world that make him want to drop to his knees. Donna fighting back tears is right near the top of that list.

"I never thought I'd say this…" Her voice cracks and she swallows, gathering her resolve, "but I prefer it when we don't speak."

"Donna."

Her name hangs in the air, a desperate plea for her to just hear him out, let him fix it, but before he can think of anything else to say, the door swings on its hinges as her footsteps fade away.

ooo0ooo

It's past two in the afternoon when Harvey steps off the elevator on the fiftieth floor. Every muscle in his body aches, but a couple of hours in the ring at Reeds has done nothing to distract him from the burning in his chest. Or the mess inside his head. When he nears his office, he spots Louis waiting for him, seated in one of his visitors chairs. He nearly changes course, but there's work to be finalized, and he's already in a less than stellar mood anyway, so he marches to his desk, acknowledging the managing partner with a nod.

"What can I do for you, Louis?"

Louis waits until Harvey is seated behind his desk, the foot he has propped up on his opposite knee, bopping a little faster before he starts in.

"Harvey, you know I appreciate the support you've been giving me in my new role, but you have to start treating me like you did Jessica and Robert. You can't just decide which of the partner meetings you attend and which you skip. Without any notice whatsoever, I might add."

"It was one meeting."

"An important one."

Harvey straightens his back, but keeps his fingers firmly intertwined where his hands rests on the tabletop in front of him.

"Louis, I've been here long enough to know exactly what is required before we close for the holidays. I don't need you to guide me through the process like some rookie associate. Now, unless I've missed something significant, will you please let me get on with it?"

He expects a snarky comeback, or for Louis to leave in a huff like he tends to do when offended, but instead the managing partner just regards him for a beat. "You're hurting."

Taken aback, Harvey lifts his chin and stares Louis down. "What did you just say to me?"

"Stan says when you lash out at me, it's because you're hurting."

"I think we should start seeing different therapists."

Louis is about to reply when Samantha walks through the door. "It's not your therapist that's the problem. You have heart problems."

She takes a seat next to Louis, and Harvey can practically feel his temper climb. Before he can chase both colleagues out of his office, Louis fixes him with a worried expression.

"You should've spoken up. My cardiologist is excellent." He pulls his phone from his inside pocket and pushes to his feet. "I'll tell Gretchen to make you an appointment right now. It's never a good idea to neglect your health."

"Not that kind of heart problems, Louis," Samantha says.

Louis's head swivels from Samantha to Harvey and back again. Harvey deflates as he watches the penny drop, and he can't help but wish that Donna was still stationed outside his office. Things would not have gotten this out of hand if she was in charge. Then again, this would not be happening in the first place if it wasn't for Donna. He should've just sucked it up and attended the goddamn meeting.

"Guys," Harvey says, but doesn't get further.

"This is about Donna, isn't it?" Louis asks. "You're upset because she's dating that tall, sexy, hunk of a –"

"Louis," Samantha says, "you're not helping."

Louis sinks down into his chair again. "He has a big nose, if that's any consolation." He turns towards Samantha. "What are we going to do? We can't let Harvey lose his soulmate."

"Okay," Harvey says, "that's enough. Don't you two have work to do?"

"This is more important." Louis taps a finger against his chin, thinking. Then his eyes light up as he scoots towards the edge of his seat. "I've got it. Do you own a ski mask, a toy gun and some rope?"

"Kidnapping is against the law, Louis," Samantha says.

"No, no, no." Louis is on his feet again, pacing. "It's this thing Sheila and I used to do, back when she was still engaged, and I swear that's what made her pick me over him. She would break into my house, all sexy, dressed in black and I would pretend to be the macho homeowner who shows her exactly how I could disarm her using my big gun and my –"

"I thought it was the fifty million dollar settlement you tanked?" Harvey asks, hoping to steer Louis off topic before a very unsettling image slams into his brain.

"Well, that too, but nothing beats a little imagination and a lot of…well, you know. Just trust me, Harvey. If tomatoes is still your thing, we can find a way to incorporate that."

"Tomatoes?" This time Samantha interrupts, and Harvey can't be more grateful.

He's ready to put an end to his partners' misplaced offer of assistance when Donna walks by his office, catching his eyes before looking away. She quickens her pace and disappears from sight. Just that brief, impersonal interaction is enough to unleash a desperation he didn't even know he possessed.

"How do I get her back?" he hears himself asking.

Louis and Samantha are momentarily stunned. They look at each other, then at him, as if they weren't expecting that he'd actually admit the truth, or that he needed help. Samantha is the first to recover.

"You could start by not being such a dick to her. Pulling pigtails is for second graders."

Harvey has the decency to feel ashamed, even before Louis pins him with a disapproving look. "I'll apologize," he says.

Samantha shakes her head. "You need something bigger than that. Much bigger."

Louis takes it as his cue to weigh in again. "Like renting out the Lyceum Theatre and arranging a private show? That's a great idea. Make sure it's something Shakespeare. And that the theatre company doesn't suck."

"As romantic and expensive as that sounds, there's no time. Donna and Thomas leave for Texas tomorrow." Samantha shifts her attention back to Harvey, and he really hopes she can come up with something more practical. "You are going to need a big gesture, but you're a terrible gift giver."

Harvey's lip twitches in response. He's starting to regret ever going down this road.

"Gifting is easy," Louis says. "You just need to know what the other person wants."

"Exactly," Samantha replies. "Give her something that's really important to her. Something she would never expect from you."

Harvey waits for her to expand, but she rises instead.

"Come on, Louis," she says. "Harvey has some thinking to do."

ooo0ooo

His palms haven't sweated this much since he was sixteen and pacing in front of Jennifer Nelson's house, building the courage to ask her to junior prom. Every time the bell over the door chimes, Harvey looks up, his heart in his throat, only to swallow it back down as another stranger enters the diner. He's not even all that sure Donna will show, despite agreeing to meet him, against all his expectations. At first, he considered showing up at her place unannounced, but the possibility of running into Thomas made him decide against it. He needed neutral ground anyway, and though a public setting was probably not ideal, he couldn't think of anywhere better to state his case and hope for the best. No settlements this time.

He's pulled from his thoughts when Donna slides into the booth across from him, and just like that he's transported back to time when things were so much simpler. When Scottie wasn't in and out of his life, before Paula, and Stephen, and Thomas. He regards her for a moment. She's more than a decade older, and it looks good on her. She's breathtaking, perhaps even more so now.

"What do you need, Harvey?" There's a hint of impatience in her tone.

"I wanted to give you your Christmas gift before you left." The words rush past his lips before he can rethink them.

Donna stares at him, speechless for a moment. "You never get me anything."

Harvey cocks his head in a silent challenge, one eyebrow raised.

"You know what I mean."

"You didn't get yourself anything from me this year."

A flash of surprise crosses her face. He knows she knows he never checks his credit card statements, but he does in December to see what she picked out for her birthday and Christmas. He always figured that someday he might preempt her with something she'd like, but the opportunity never did present itself.

She looks away, her fingers fiddling with the edge of the placemat in front of her. "It wouldn't be appropriate. It hasn't been since I left your desk, I suppose."

"We still work together."

"Can you get to the point?" she asks, meeting his gaze again. "I have a plane to catch in a couple of hours."

The blunt reminder that he's running out of time makes him shift in his seat. Discussing feelings has never been his forte, and he's going to need his best closing argument if he wants to convince her to give him a chance.

"The first time we were here, I lied to you." It's probably not the best way to start, but he needs to be completely honest with her if he wants her to believe him.

"Lied about what?"

"I knew I was going to take the job at Pearson Hardman the moment I left the D.A.'s office. The timeline moved up, after what happened with Cameron, but Jessica always had my back. And I was also determined to take you with me."

She takes a moment to let the words sink in. "So when you showed up at my apartment –"

"I had a limited window of opportunity. I wasn't going to let that pass."

There's a fire in her eyes he hasn't seen in a long time, and it almost makes him retract his confession, but it also reminds him of a similar look from years before, in a different context, that makes every cell in his body seems to vibrate with the need to touch her. He needs to push through, because the idea of never touching her again is unbearable.

"Jesus, Harvey. You lied to get into my pants?"

"That wasn't my intention."

She raises an eyebrow, clearly not believing him.

"I mean, I wanted _that_ ," he says, "but not as a one-time thing." He leans forward, resting his elbows on the table between them. "I wanted you to see what it could be like, you and me. When I asked you to meet me here, I wanted to float the idea of us, working together, and being together. I knew we'd be a force to be reckoned with in the law world, but I also wanted…I don't know, quiet evenings at home, or going out for fancy dinners, maybe even let you drag me to the theatre. Everything that comes after that. I still want it, Donna."

"Bullshit. You couldn't agree with my conditions fast enough back then. Not to mention the night you practically ran out of my apartment."

"I respected your rule because I was afraid that if I didn't, that would be it for us. I'd rather have you as my secretary and best friend than not have you at all. And that night…I didn't plan on saying what I said and I panicked. I was an idiot and I'm sorry."

Donna shakes her head and reaches for the purse. "You know what I think? You're panicking now. Things are changing and you never were good at handling that."

She's halfway to the door already before he's on his feet, dropping a twenty on the table, despite not having ordered anything. He catches up with her outside, a firm grip on her elbow preventing her from walking away altogether.

"Let me go, Harvey."

His grip tightens for a fraction of a second before his arm drops back at his side.

"Does what I said mean nothing to you?" he asks. He watches her closely, gauging for a reaction either way, but her face remains unreadable.

"I'm with someone."

"I know you are, but I have to try. You're the one who told me to fight for the woman I want, and I'm not going to let –"

He's cut short when her phone starts to ring, and he catches Thomas's name on the screen when she pulls it out of her jacket pocket. Donna looks down at the object in her hand, then back at him.

"I have to go, Harvey."

He senses that she wants to add something, but then she turns and flags down a cab. His sinuses feel swollen, the back of his nose stinging, as he watches her close the door behind her before the cab takes off. He blinks hard and swallows against the lump in his throat. Then he swallows again, but the lump remains.

ooo0ooo

Harvey leans back in his chair, then swings around to face the skyline as he tosses back a generous swallow of McCallan 36. The burn of the alcohol doesn't even register. It's been two and a half days since Donna left him standing on the sidewalk with his pride in one hand and his heart in the other. He spent the first day passed out drunk across his bed, still fully clothed, and the second running their conversation on a loop in his head, trying to figure out where he went wrong. He did what Samantha suggested – he gave Donna the truth, like she always wanted, but never would expect from him.

And it got him nowhere.

His phone rings and he pulls it out his pocket, sending another one of Marcus's calls straight to voicemail. He promises himself that he'll call on Christmas Day, like a good brother should, but he's not ready to speak to anyone just yet.

Except for Donna. He wants to call her. Desperately. He scrolls down to her name, his finger hovering over the dial button. He takes another swig of scotch for courage, then hits delete instead. And just like that, she's gone. Only, she's not. He's going to see her in the new year. Every fucking day until it's Christmas again. Unless he leaves. Strikes out on his own. No Louis to boss him around. He'll find a loophole in his non-compete and take all his clients and call his firm Specter and Nobody.

The elevator's ding echoing through the empty halls goes unnoticed as he empties the last of his drink. He contemplates a second one, but he came into the office to distract himself with the final paperwork on the Alabata merger, not to get a head start on yet another hangover. He leaves the glass on the window sill and spins back to settle behind his desk. He locates the agreement he's supposed to be looking at, scrolls down the electronic document to find where he'd left off, and starts double checking the amendments his client insisted on.

"Do you have any idea what a pain in the ass it is to travel on Christmas Eve?"

Harvey's head snaps up and she's right there, standing in the doorway. He's on his feet without realizing he even moved, but remains rooted to the spot, his heart hammering against his sternum when Donna lets go of her suitcase handle and steps into his office. He knows he should say something, anything, because she's standing in front of him, instead of being with another man halfway across the country, and it's a good sign, but he can't seem bring himself to hope that evidence proves what he thinks it does.

"You know," she says, "for someone who was extremely talkative the last time we saw each other, you're awfully quiet right now."

"Why are you here, Donna?"

"I've had some time to think, and I have a couple of questions."

"If you didn't know the answers by now, you'd still be in Texas."

Donna's eyes close for a moment, her shoulders rising and falling as she exhales a deep breath. "I should've expected this." She takes a step backwards. "I can't believe I was stupid enough to think that you might actually –"

"I love you." Harvey rounds his desk before she can even think of walking out on him for a third time in as many days. "That's the 'why'." He closes the distance between them with long strides, wrapping his hand around the back of her neck. "And as for 'how'…"

Meeting her gaze, he pulls her to him, drawing her mouth to his. The moment their lips touch, he's overtaken by a familiar buzz coursing through his body. It's been way too long and he wants to slow down, savor the moment, but her mouth is matching his and her arms around his neck and he can't pull back. One hand grips her hip, the other sliding up into her hair as he sucks her top lip between his, feeling her teeth graze his bottom one. She soothes the bite with her tongue, then slips it into his mouth. He angles his head to deepen the kiss, tasting her return. All too soon the need for oxygen forces them to part, but he keeps her close, their breath mingling as he slowly opens his eyes, searching her face for any hints of regret, and finding none.

"Do you want this?" he asks, making sure that for once, they're both on the same page.

She nods. "I'm giving you another window of opportunity."

"Just a window?"

Her lips curve up in a shy smile that makes him want to wrap her in his arms and protect her, so different from the sassy smile that challenges him at every turn. "You want more?"

He shakes his head. "I want everything."

"Good," she says, "because I love you too."

"Good," he replies, before pressing his lips to hers again in another kiss and this time his tongue rubs against hers, soft and wet and so damn eager, it stokes their desire to fever pitch.

He needs her, on a surface, and nudges her backwards. She complies, letting him guide her out the door and around her abandoned suitcase. His mouth leaves hers, tracing a path along her jaw as he opens one eye to ensure they don't bump against the sharp angle of the cubicle wall. He navigates them safely inside, and she moans against him when his lips reaches the spot behind her ear.

"My old desk?" The question is barely a whisper, asked between panting breaths slicing across his cheek.

Harvey hums an affirmative against the freckles scattered across her neck as her fingers trail down to his chest, sending heat south. She pulls his shirt from his pants and explores the smooth skin over his ribs, the sharp definition of muscle at his hips, and the soft trail of hair urging her down to his navel and lower. Not to be outdone, he lifts her sweater and locates the clasp of her slacks, undoing it with a flick of two fingers. He's throbbing against her palm cupping him, his hips jerking in response when she squeezes his bulge through his pants.

"Fuck, Donna," he growls, searching out her lips again.

Their kisses grow long and deep, gaining urgency as he pushes her pants down her legs while she makes short work of his zipper. He grips her hips and picks her up onto the mahogany, settling between her thighs. It's a fantasy come true and suddenly everything feels too intense, too loud, too vivid.

He pulls back, watching her intently as he trails his fingers up the soft skin of her inner thigh, slipping under the lace to test her readiness. She shudders when he traces her slit, finding her dripping and himself out of restraint as she frees his erection from his underwear, giving it a firm stroke from the base to the tip. His fingers expose her, his forehead coming to rest against hers, and he lets her guide him inside. He dips his chin, swallowing the sob that escapes her when he pierces through her tight, wet heat with a couple of short, forceful thrusts. Once he's fully sheathed, he stills, allowing her a moment to adjust to the intrusion.

Their lips brush and part, and Donna drops her head to his shoulder, panting against his neck. She unbuttons his shirt before slipping her arms through his, curling her fingers over his shoulders. Her legs wrap around his waist, her heels digging into the backs of his thighs when she rotates her hips against him, and like a trip-switch in a power surge, his mind shuts down and his body takes over. He pulls back slowly, only to fill her with a long, hard stroke. She whimpers when he does it again, building a rhythm while a hand on her hip and another on her thigh hold her place.

Her mouth finds the base of his throat, nipping and teasing as her nails scratch down his back, leaving a trail of fire in their wake. He falters slightly when she grips his ass, spurring him on, but recovers quickly, increasing the pace. His body strains with effort, his hair mussed and sticking to his damp forehead, the tendons in his neck pulling tight. He feels the kicking pulse of his impending orgasm and wedges a hand between their bodies, his thumb finding her clit, rubbing sloppy circles against the bundle of nerves to take her with him towards the edge. She gasps his name, tightening her hold, and then she's clenching around him with a muffled cry against his sweat slicked skin as he empties himself inside her.

ooo0ooo

The shrill ringtone pierces the silence, dragging Harvey from the intense dream he was having. He groans in protest as he reaches an arm out, batting blindly in the direction of the noise. He locates the phone and slips one eye open to check the caller ID before pressing the answer button.

"Marcus," he says, his voice still gravelly from sleep.

"Jesus, Dickhead, I thought you were dead."

Harvey frowns, ready to toss an insult down the line when a slender arms wraps around his waist and bare breasts press against his back. His lips curl of their own accord when the events of the night before come flooding back.

"Tell him it's too early," Donna mumbles against his skin, sending a delicious shiver down his spine, straight to his groin.

"Harv? Still there?"

"I'll call you back after the new year," he says before his brother's voice can wane his enthusiasm. The phone hits the carpet with a dull thud.

He rolls over, pulling Donna's naked body flush against his. "It's not _that_ early."


End file.
